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The American LungAssociations agenda forthe new
administration,Protect the Air WeBreathe: An Agenda forClean Air,
states
Climate, energy andclean air are inexorablylinked. Solutions
thatlead to cleaner air mustbe included in anyapproach to
cleaner,more efficient energyuse and reductions inglobal warming.
1Wind energy is one suchsolution - a clean energysource that can
providecommunities withdecreased greenhousegas emissions, alongwith
air qualityimprovements andcorresponding humanhealth benefits.
FOR MORE INFORMATION,PLEASE CONTACT:
Jen BanksOffshore Wind andSiting Specialist
[email protected]
Wind Turbines and Health
Updated 3-2009
Wind energy can help improve air qualityAir quality has a direct
impact on human health. Particulate matter in theair, often as a
result of power plant emissions, has been shown to
affectcardiovascular and respiratory health. Unhealthy levels of
particle pollutioncan even cause otherwise healthy people to get
sick.4 The generation ofelectricity from the wind does not result
in any air emissions. By offsettingmore polluting forms of energy
generation, wind energy can actuallyimprove air quality and our
health. The U.S.s total 2009 wind turbine fleetprevents the
emission of
o 200,000 metric tons of sulfur dioxide annuallyo 80,000 metric
tons of nitrogen oxides annually5
Wind energy can help reduce global warming pollutantsThe entire
fleet of wind turbines operating in the United States as of the
enof 2009 will prevent the emission of over 57 million tons of
carbon dioxide a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change
each year.6 Humanhealth can be adversely affected by rising global
temperatures. Fewer frostevents and longer warm seasons could
result in stronger and morewidespread allergens and fungal spores,
as well as an increase in thespread of exotic diseases. Health
experts also raise concerns of anincreased incidence of heat waves
and resulting deaths.7 Wind energyproduces less than two percent of
the emissions from coal combustion permegawatt-hour, even when the
manufacturing process of wind turbines isaccounted for,8 giving it
one of the lowest greenhouse gas lifecycleemissions levels of any
power technology.
20% Wind Energy and Climate ChangeAs America and the world
grapple with the immense problem ofclimate change, one energy
source stands out as an abundant,affordable and readily available
supply option: wind power. The U.S.Department of Energys 20% Wind
Energy by 2030 Technical Report(www.20percentwind.org) finds that
wind power can supply 20percent of Americas electricity by 2030 and
reduce projectedemissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading
greenhouse gas, by25 percent. Additionally, each megawatt-hour of
wind generation
can prevent the loss of up to 600 gallons of water from fossil
fuelpower plant cooling.2 This equals over 20 billion gallons of
waterconserved by the 35,000 Megawatts of wind energy installed
andoperating at the end of 2009.3
Updated 5-2010
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Wind Turbines and Health
Continued
Continued
Updated 3-2009Updated 3-2009
Wind Energy and Wildlife
The wind industry takes health concerns seriouslyAny concern
that wind turbines may impact someone negatively should be
explored. Therefore, in 2009, theAmerican Wind Energy Association
and the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) established
amultidisciplinary scientific advisory panel to review current
literature on the perceived health effects of windturbines. The
panels conclusions are
o Subaudible, low frequency sound and infrasound from wind
turbines do not present a risk to humanhealth.
o Sound from wind turbines does not pose a risk of hearing loss
or any other adverse health effect inhumans.
o Some people may be annoyed at the presence of sound from wind
turbines. Annoyance is not apathological entity.
o A major cause of concern about wind turbine sound is its
fluctuating nature. Some may find this soundannoying, a reaction
that depends primarily on personal characteristics as opposed to
the intensity of thesound level.9
Wind plants are generally quiet:It is often possible to have a
normal conversation at the very base of an operating wind turbine.
The sound heardfrom wind turbines at a distance, as with other
local sources of sound, is affected by many factors including
thewind direction, meteorological conditions, vegetation and other
barriers. Site-specific acoustic models cananticipate sound levels
at nearby receptors for consideration during project siting. The
sounds emitted from windturbines can be mechanical, from internal
equipment such as the gearbox or yaw drive, or aerodynamic, from
airmoving past the rotor blades. Current turbine designs
effectively reduce mechanical sound through soundproofing;
therefore, the aerodynamic sound, often described as a whooshing
sound, is generally heard.
Shadow flicker occurrence is easily calculated
Shadow flicker occurs when the blades of a turbine pass in front
of the sun to create a recurring shadow on anobject. Computer
models in wind development software can determine the days and
times during the year thatspecific buildings in close proximity to
turbines may experience shadow flicker. Mitigation measures can be
takenbased on this knowledge and may include setbacks or vegetative
buffers. Issues with shadow flicker are lesscommon in the United
States than in Europe due to the lower latitudes and the higher sun
angles in the UnitedStates.
Shadow flicker is not harmful to persons with epilepsyThe
allegation is sometimes made that shadow flicker from wind turbines
can cause epileptic seizures. This is nottrueshadow flicker from
wind turbines occurs much more slowly than the light strobing
associated withseizures. The strobe rates generally necessary to
cause seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy are 5 to30
flashes per second10 and large wind turbine blades cannot rotate
this quickly.
Sources:1An Agenda for Clean Air: Protect the Air We Breathe.
(2009).
http://www.npca.org/cleanair/agenda/Protect_the_Air_We_Breathe.pdf
2Department of Energy. (2008). 20% Wind Energy by 2030
www.20percentwind,org
3American Wind Energy Association. WINDPOWER OUTLOOK 2010.
4American Lung Association. (2010). State of the Air: 2010.
http://www.stateoftheair.org/2010/health-risks/health-risks-particle.html
5WINDPOWER OUTLOOK 2010
6WINDPOWER OUTLOOK 2010
7U.S. News and World Report. (2008). 10 Ways Global Warming
Could Hurt Your Health.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2008/09/15/10-
ways-global-warming-could-hurt-your-health.html8
Kempton, W. & Levy, J. (2007). Harvard School of Public
Health.
http://www.ocean.udel.edu/windpower/DE-Qs/IRP-KempLevy-Health.pdf9
Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects An Expert Panel Review.
2009,http://www.awea.org/policy/regulatory_policy/documents/AWEA_and_CanWEA_Sound_White_Paper.pdf
10Epilepsy Foundation. (n.d.). Photosensitivity and Epilepsy.
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/photosensitivity/
Updated 5-2010
